Do you have a go-to dish that you make from memory? Many of us lean on recipes for inspiration for our daily cooking, but there's something to be said about the meals we make off the cuff, over and over again.

This episode explores the dishes we cook straight from memory, without consulting a cookbook or app. For instance, Sonya shares her almost weekly routine of roasting chicken, a classic dish from her childhood that she constantly riffs on. Kari reveals that she never makes roast chicken, and instead shares one of her go-to meals: a tomato-based, green bean stew taht she learned how to make from a friend. We also reflect on our favorite coconut lentil dish, which we both make entirely with ingredients we always keep on hand in our kitchens.

This conversation shows us that the dishes we make automatically, without even thinking, are sometimes the most special ones. A good FOOD FRIEND can remind us that it’s possible for a beautiful, home-cooked meal to come together quickly with a few pantry staples... and without a recipe.

We hope this episode encourages you to think about the dishes you're making without a recipe. Reach out and let us know what you're cooking up, and we'll share it with the FOOD FRIENDS community so that we can all learn!

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Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:

Sonya’s Seattle-style sheet pan chicken teriyaki

Roast chicken with grapes by Angie Mar, via Food & Wine

Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce

NY Shuk harissa and spices, and Diaspora Co spices

Crispy smashed potato recipe by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Curried coconut red lentils by Julia Turshen, The Kitchn

Cashew cream via The Kitchn

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